Method of and means for dampening plate-cylinders in offset-process printing-presses



C. H. GEIGER AND T. E. DUNWODY. METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR DAMP-ENING PLATE CYLINDERS IN OFFSET PROCESS PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6| I920.

Patented May 10, 1921.

CLARENGJE GIMME-EB, AND

ILEI-ETHQIO 0F AND llltiiifilil'fi IFQH; DA'MPENING PLATE-CYLINDERS PRINTING-PRESSEfi.

reamed Specification of Letters Eatent.

'llI-IQMAS E. D'UN'WODY, 0E PRESSMEN JEEGME,

TENNESSEE.

IN @FlSET-PRUCES$ Patented ltllay ill, 1921.

Application filed July 8, 1920. Serial No. 8%,336.

T 0 all 10 7mm it may concern:

Be it known that we, CLARENCE HENRY Games and THOMAS E. DUNWODY, citizens of the United States, residing in Pressmens Home, in the county of Hawkins and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Method of and Means for Dampening Plate-Cylinders in @ft'set-Process Printing-Presses, of which the following is a specification.

The principal object of our invention is to provide a simple and efficient method of dampening the plate cylinder of o'li'set process printing presses without using separate rollers for this purpose. l/Vhere separate dampening rollers are employed, as at present, the plate cylinder is quickly worn down I by them, necessitating its frequent replacement. This involves labor and expense which our method eliminates by uniformly distrilnitingv the water on the plate roller in the form of a spray.

Under our method of dampening the plate cylinder, it is possible to quickly and easily increase the amount of water needed at certain places thereon. For instance, where the ink is heavier at one or more points on the surface of the plate cylinder than at others, the additional water required at those points can be easily and efiiciently supplied with out the use of a sponge for this purpose.

is another object of our invention to provide a method of dampening the plate cylinder that is clean and labor-saving, for under our method there are no dampening rollers to be removed and cleaned. Under present conditions this is necessary when, after using inlr of one color, is desired to use ink of another color. Under our method or dampening the plate cylinder, it is not necessary to stop for change of color.

it is a further object of our invention to provide simple and efficient means for carrying the above method into effect.

' Other important and incidental objects will be brought out in the following specification, and particularly set tear. in the subjoined claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure is a perspective view oi an offset printing press equipped with our improved means for dampening the plate cylinder. Fig. 2 is a cross section taken through the vaporizing means. Fig. 3 is a side view of the means employed to impart a reciprocating movement to the vaporizing means. Fig. 4t is an end view of the actuating cam. And Fig. 5 is a View of the periphery thereof, showing the curved groove in it.

Throughout the specification and drawings, similar reference characters denote corresponding parts.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 designates an offset process printing press containing the usual plate cylinder roller 2. Supported by brackets 3, 3 behind the roller 2 is a tapering hood 4 open at both front and rear.

Laterally movable behind the hood 4:, along a transverse rod 5 supported by the brackets 3, 3, is a cylindrical water tank 6 which supports above it, by means of side plates 7, 7, a cylindrical chamber 8 adapted to receive compressed air through an inlet tube 9. (See Figs. 1 and 2.)

Projecting upwardly from the water tank 6 is a series of vertical tubes 10, each oi which terminates in a right-angled outlet portion within a-nozzle 11. At its rear end till the latter is connected to the lateral portion l2 of a valve housing 13 into which projects a needle valve 14 operatedby a handle 15. Each valve housing 13 is connected to the upper portion of the compressed air tank dirom which the air, undenpressure, is permitted to issue by screwing the needle valve 1% above its seat 16. The air that passes the needle valve 14 rushes into the nozzle 11, drawing therein through the tube 10, water from the tanltth the form of a spray, issues from ends of the nozzles 11, into and through the hood l, to come in contact with the plate cylinder 2 for the purpose of dampening it.

order this water may be uniformly sprayed upon said cylinder the following means are provided.

Referring to Figs. 1, 3, 4. and 5, there is pivotally secured upon a fulcrum arm 1! projecting outwardly trom a bracket 3, a roclrer member 18 whose lower end terminates in a sector shaped cam portion 19. The member 18 is reciprocated by a JO- necting' rod 20 pivotally sec d at front end to the endface oi? the roller his water, in

till

. and replacement.

2, whereby, when the latter is rotated, the cam 19 wi 1 be rocked for the following purpose.

spraying nozzle unit back and forth along the rod 5, any other suitable means may be employed for this purpose without departing from the spirit of the invention. The spraying unit may be easily disconnected from the cam mechanism, and moved along the rod 5 to, and held in, a position to direct the vapor upon any particular place upon the plate roller 2 where the character of the ink requires an unusually large amount of water. I

It is thus seen that our method of dampening the plate cylinder contemplates the spraying of the water upon it instead of dampening it by separate rollers. The latter rollers, when used, tend to wear down the plate, necessitating its frequent removal The expense incident to the latter is eliminated by our method of dampening the plate cylinder by a spraying device which needs no dampening rollers to make its operation efiicient. While we have shown and described a particular form of spraying device for carrying our method of dampening the plate cylinder into effect, any other suitable device may be employed for this pu'rposewithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described our invention, we claim: 1. The herein described method of dampening the plate cylinder of an offset. process printing press, which consists in spraying upon the cylinder, water that is atomized by physical means that are given a backand forth movement along said cylinder.

2. In a device of the type described, the combination with a plate cylinder, of laterally movable nozzle means adjacent said cylinder to'project Water upon it for dampening purposes. 1 3. In a device of the type described, the

combination with a plate cylinder, a latthe cylinder is rotated.

In witnesswhereof we have hereunto set our hands this 22nd day of June, 1920.

CLARENCE HENRY GEIGER. THOMAS E. DUNWODY. Witness:

Joe. C. ORR. 

